I made a huge mistake last year by putting my estimated tax payments on the wrong line of my 1040. The IRS sent me a letter saying I owed a bunch of money plus penalties, and it took months to get sorted out. Double check where you're entering everything!

This is exactly why I always keep detailed records of all my tax payments throughout the year! For your situation with two types of withholding, I'd recommend creating a simple spreadsheet to track everything before you start filing. List your W-2 withholding amount from box 2, then separately list each quarterly estimated payment you made with the dates and amounts. When you're ready to file, the W-2 withholding goes on line 25a of Form 1040, and your estimated payments total goes on line 26. In TurboTax, these will be in different sections - the W-2 info gets entered when you input your W-2 form, and the estimated payments have their own dedicated section usually under "Federal Taxes" or "Payments." The key thing is to make sure you have documentation for all your estimated payments - either bank records, confirmation numbers, or receipts. This way if the IRS ever questions anything, you have proof of what you paid and when.

Pro tip from someone who's been thru this 2x - after verifying, check your transcript not WMR. WMR is often delayed but transcripts update first. Look for TC 570 (hold) followed by TC 571 (hold released) and finally TC 846 (refund issued). Once you see 846, you'll have $$ in 3-5 days. Hang in there - the system works, it's just slow AF.

I just went through this exact situation two weeks ago! Got my 5071C letter in early April and was freaking out about my car payment deadline. Here's what actually happened: • Verified online through ID.me on April 8th (took about 20 minutes) • Transcript updated with TC 971 on April 15th (showing verification complete) • WMR still showed "processing" until April 20th • Got TC 846 refund issued code on April 22nd • Money hit my account on April 25th So 17 days total from verification to deposit. Way faster than the 9 weeks they quote! The key is checking your transcript like others mentioned - it's your real-time window into what's happening. Don't stress too much about the tuition deadline, most schools have payment plan options if you need to buy a few extra weeks.

The IRS verification system is like that friend who texts you asking where you are while you're sitting right next to them. 😂 But seriously, the consensus among tax pros is that if you've verified by phone with a letter, you're generally good to go. The online notification is likely just system lag. Most people in your situation report getting their refunds processed normally despite the lingering notification. If you're really concerned, getting your transcript is the best way to confirm your actual status.

I went through this exact scenario in February! Phone verified using the CP01A letter on Feb 15th, then kept getting the online verification prompt for another two weeks. I was panicking because my refund was over $8,000 and I thought something went wrong. Turns out it was just their systems being slow to sync up. My transcript showed the 971 code about 5 days after my phone call, and my refund hit my account on March 2nd without me doing the online verification. The key thing is checking your transcript - if you see processing codes updating, you're likely fine even with the persistent online notification. The IRS phone rep I spoke to said this dual notification issue affects about 30% of people who verify by phone during peak season.

Honestly, don't waste money on paper guides that'll be outdated. I use the IRS publications directly - they're FREE and the actual source of truth. Publication 17 covers most individual tax situations, and there are specific publications for business, investments, etc.

Great question! I'm also relatively new to tax prep work. From what I've researched, the CCH Master Tax Guide is definitely legitimate - Wolters Kluwer is a well-established publisher in the tax and legal space. One thing I'd add to the recommendations already mentioned: consider getting the digital version if available. Many of these guides now come with online access that includes search functionality, which can be a huge time-saver when you're looking for specific topics mid-preparation. Also, don't forget about continuing education requirements if you plan to do this professionally. The IRS requires Annual Filing Season Program participants to complete continuing education, so factor that into your planning as well. Good luck with your tax prep work this season!

Reading through your situation, I can definitely relate to the panic you must be feeling right now. I went through something very similar with my S-Corp a couple years ago - got a CP162A notice for over $3,000 and thought my world was ending. The good news is that you actually have a really strong case here. The combination of your clean compliance history, the evidence you have (that February-dated return and USPS charge), and your genuine financial hardship gives you multiple paths to get this resolved. Here's what I'd recommend doing immediately: **Call the IRS first thing tomorrow morning** using the number on your notice. Ask specifically for "first-time penalty abatement" - don't get sidetracked explaining the whole lost mail situation initially. Just say "I'm requesting first-time penalty abatement for this failure to file penalty." Have your EIN and notice number ready. **If they approve it on the call** (which is very likely given your clean history), you're done! Get a confirmation number and ask when you'll receive written confirmation. **If for some reason FTA doesn't work**, then pivot to reasonable cause due to the lost mail. Your evidence is actually pretty solid - that saved return with the February timestamp plus the USPS charge the next day tells a clear story. **Don't forget to mention your financial hardship** - with income of $1,800 vs expenses of $2,900, you likely qualify for Currently Not Collectible status, which would stop all collection activity regardless. The most important thing is to not let this overwhelm you. The IRS has processes for exactly these situations, and you have legitimate grounds for relief. You're not going to lose your housing over this - they have protections in place for people in financial hardship. Keep us updated on how the call goes! You've got this! 💪

I just wanted to add one more practical tip that helped me when I was in a similar situation - when you call the IRS tomorrow, have a pen and paper ready to write down EVERYTHING. Get the representative's name, their ID number, the date and time of your call, and any confirmation numbers they give you. Also, if they approve your first-time penalty abatement on the call, ask them to email you a confirmation if possible, or at minimum ask when you can expect to receive written confirmation in the mail. Sometimes there can be delays in the written confirmation, so having detailed notes from your call becomes really important. One thing that really helped me stay calm during my call was remembering that the IRS representatives deal with penalty abatement requests all day long - this is routine for them, even though it feels huge and scary to you. They have the tools and authority to resolve your situation, and given your clean compliance history, you're exactly the type of case they're designed to help. Your evidence is actually stronger than you think - that saved return with the February timestamp combined with the USPS charge creates a clear timeline that supports your story. Even if the mail got lost, you clearly made a good faith effort to file on time. You're going to get through this! Update us after your call - I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how smoothly it goes. 🙂